That's how Ferguson, Mo., a mostly black town, ended up with a mostly white city council and mayor whose police force was also mostly white. In Ferguson's 2013 election, whites were three times more likely to vote than blacks, according to The Washington Post.

This state usually does well on voting. Connecticut was seventh nationwide in turnout in the 2012 presidential election, with 74 percent. Yet turnout is typically lower in non-presidential election years like this one. That's a mystery, since the things that matter most to citizens — house and car taxes, for example, or how good the schools are — are decided by local and state officeholders.

The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. today. To find your voting location, go to dir.ct.gov/sots/LookUp.aspx. Don't get someone else's government.